Final answer:
There are 1,000 microliters in a milliliter, due to the metric system's base-10 structure. To convert from milliliters to microliters, you multiply by 1,000 because a microliter is one thousand times smaller than a milliliter.
Step-by-step explanation:
There are 1,000 microliters (µL) in a milliliter (mL). This is because the metric system is based on powers of ten, making it simple to convert between units.
When converting from a larger unit to a smaller unit within the metric system, such as from milliliters to microliters, you multiply by 1,000 because a milliliter is a thousandth of a liter (10-3 L), and a microliter is a millionth of a liter (10-6 L).
For example, converting 4 liters to milliliters involves moving the decimal point three places to the right, thus 4 liters equals 4,000 milliliters.
Similarly, if we were to convert 1 milliliter to microliters, we would also multiply by 1,000, resulting in 1,000 microliters. Remember that a milliliter is equivalent to a cubic centimeter (cm³), which helps in visualizing the volume measurement.
This understanding is crucial in various fields of science and everyday life when measuring small volumes of liquid.